Iceland will blow your mind. The waterfalls, the geysers, those jet-black beaches that look like something from another planet. But here’s the thing: this stunning island can also throw you some serious curveballs if you’re not careful.
I’ve seen tourists make mistakes that turned their dream trip into a stressful ordeal. Some are small inconveniences. Others? They can be dangerous or cost you hundreds of dollars you didn’t plan to spend.
Here’s what you need to know before you pack your bags and head to the land of fire and ice.
Things to Avoid in Iceland
Iceland has unique challenges that catch even experienced travelers off guard. Let’s talk about the mistakes you’ll want to steer clear of so your trip stays magical instead of messy.
1. Driving Unprepared in Winter Conditions
Your rental car skids on black ice at 60 mph, and suddenly you’re white-knuckling the steering wheel while your heart tries to escape your chest. This happens to tourists every single day during Iceland’s winter months.
Black ice is invisible. You won’t see it coming. The roads look perfectly fine, and then boom—you’re sliding sideways. I’m talking about ice so clear it blends completely with the asphalt underneath. Your summer driving experience means nothing here.
Most tourists rent a small, two-wheel-drive car because it’s cheaper. Big mistake during October through April. You need a 4×4 vehicle with proper winter tires, and even then, you need to know how to handle it. F-roads (mountain roads) close completely in winter, but regular routes can be just as treacherous. Route 1, the main ring road, gets shut down during bad storms. Yes, the main road around the country closes.
Here’s what you actually need to do. Check the roads obsessively. This website shows real-time road conditions, closures, and warnings. Check it before you leave your accommodation. Check it during your drive if you can pull over safely. The weather can change in 20 minutes flat. One moment it’s clear, the next you can’t see 10 feet ahead because of a sudden snowstorm.
Speed limits exist for a reason, but here’s the real talk: drive slower than the posted limit. If it says 90 km/h and there’s any ice or snow, go 50 or 60. Locals drive slower too. Your rental car insurance probably won’t cover damage from driving in prohibited conditions, and trust me, the bill for a damaged vehicle can run into thousands of dollars.
2. Ignoring Weather Warnings and Alerts
Icelanders issue weather warnings because people have died ignoring them. Full stop.
The Icelandic Met Office doesn’t play around with alerts. When they say a severe storm is coming, they mean winds strong enough to flip your car or blow you off a cliff. I’m not exaggerating for effect. Wind gusts regularly hit 100+ mph during winter storms. That’s hurricane-force wind.
You’ll get weather alerts through the Safetravel app. Download it before your trip. This app sends push notifications about dangerous conditions, and it has an SOS feature that can literally save your life if something goes wrong. It takes three minutes to download and set up. Do it.
But here’s where tourists mess up: they see the warning, they look outside and see sunshine, and they think “it looks fine.” The weather in Iceland moves fast. A beautiful morning can turn into a dangerous blizzard by lunchtime. The locals have a saying: if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. Except sometimes that weather change is the difference between safe and life-threatening.
Pay attention to orange and red alerts, especially. These aren’t suggestions. They’re telling you to stay inside. Tour operators will cancel trips. Roads will close. Your expensive glacier hike or Northern Lights tour will get postponed. Accept it. Getting your money back or rescheduling is way better than getting stranded or injured.
3. Leaving the Ring Road Without Proper Planning
The Ring Road (Route 1) circles the entire country, and it’s paved and maintained pretty well. Tourists feel confident on it. Then they see a cool side road leading to some remote attraction, and they just… turn off. No research. No preparation. That’s where things go sideways.
Those side roads, especially the F-roads, are a different beast entirely. We’re talking about unbridged rivers you have to ford, loose gravel, massive potholes, and roads that straight-up disappear into rocky terrain. Your regular rental car can’t handle it. Even if you have a 4×4, you need to know what you’re doing.
F-roads require a 4×4 vehicle by law. Your insurance is void if you take a regular car on them. One wrong move into a river that’s deeper than it looks, and you’re paying for a destroyed engine. River crossings in Iceland have wrecked countless rental cars. The water moves fast, it’s often glacial meltwater (so it’s freezing and murky), and you can’t see the bottom to judge depth.
Before you turn onto any road that looks even slightly adventurous, check if it’s open. Many highland roads don’t open until June or July, and they close again in September. The Icelandic Road Administration has to inspect and officially open them each year. Driving on a closed road isn’t just illegal. It’s dangerous because they close impassable roads.
Research your route the night before. Know what kind of road you’re getting on. Know if you need a 4×4. Know if there are river crossings. Google Maps sometimes lies in Iceland. It’ll show you a route that looks simple but actually involves a closed F-road. Use the local resources instead.
4. Expecting Cheap Prices (And Not Budgeting Accordingly)
Iceland will drain your wallet faster than almost anywhere else on Earth. A basic meal at a casual restaurant? Expect $20-30. A beer? $10-12. Gas? Roughly $7 per gallon. Your jaw might actually drop when you see prices.
Everything costs more because Iceland imports almost everything. They’re a tiny island nation in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Shipping costs get passed on to consumers. Fresh vegetables, electronics, clothes, dining out—it all hits harder than you expect.
Groceries are your friend. Shop at Bonus (the pink pig stores) or Krónan for the best prices. You’ll still pay more than at home, but way less than eating out three times a day. A grocery meal might cost $10-15 per person. That same meal at a restaurant? $40-60. The math adds up fast over a week-long trip.
Some tourists arrive thinking $2,000 will cover a week for two people, including food and activities. That barely covers it if you’re camping and cooking every meal. A realistic budget for a week in Iceland, including rental car, accommodation, food, and a few activities, runs $3,000-5,000 per person. More if you’re doing pricey tours like glacier hiking or whale watching.
Here’s a money-saving trick that actually works: buy alcohol at the duty-free store in Keflavík Airport when you arrive. Alcohol in regular stores is obscenely expensive because of high taxes. That same bottle of wine that costs $15 at duty-free will run $35+ in a liquor store. You’re allowed to bring in a certain amount tax-free. Take advantage of it.
Pack snacks from home if your airline allows it. Protein bars, nuts, dried fruit. These save you during long driving days between towns. When you’re hungry and the only option is a gas station charging $8 for a sad sandwich, you’ll thank yourself for having that granola bar in your bag.
5. Going Off-Trail or Ignoring Barriers at Natural Sites
That rope barrier isn’t a suggestion. Neither is that “stay on the path” sign. But every single day, tourists hop fences and barriers to get a better photo. Then they damage fragile ecosystems that took centuries to grow.
Iceland’s moss can take 100 years to grow just a few inches. One footstep can destroy decades of growth. The volcanic terrain looks tough and rocky, but the topsoil is incredibly thin and fragile. Once it’s damaged, erosion sets in fast. Wind tears through the exposed areas. What was a small footpath becomes a massive scar on the landscape.
Beyond environmental damage, you’re risking your own safety. Those cliffs? They’re unstable. The edges crumble. People have fallen to their deaths getting too close for a photo. Reynisfjara black sand beach has warning signs everywhere about dangerous waves, yet tourists die there every few years. Sneaker waves come out of nowhere, they’re massive, and they’ll pull you into the freezing ocean.
Hot springs have barriers because the ground around them can be a thin crust over boiling geothermal water. Break through, and you’re getting third-degree burns. The geysers have roped-off areas because they’re surrounded by boiling water that erupts unpredictably. Stand in the wrong spot, and you’re getting scalded.
Stay on marked trails. It’s that simple. The view from the safe viewing area is still incredible. Your photos don’t need to risk your life or damage nature. Iceland has implemented fines for tourists who damage protected areas. Rangers patrol popular sites. Get caught destroying moss or crossing barriers, and you’re looking at hefty fines.
6. Assuming You’ll See the Northern Lights
You booked your trip specifically to see the Northern Lights. You told everyone back home about it. You’re expecting that magical green sky experience. Here’s the reality: you might see nothing.
The Northern Lights require three things to align: dark skies, clear weather, and solar activity. Miss any one of these, and you’re out of luck. Iceland’s weather is cloudy and stormy a lot. Even during peak Northern Lights season (September through March), you can have multiple nights where clouds block everything.
Solar activity is unpredictable. The aurora depends on solar storms sending particles toward Earth. Some nights the activity is strong, some nights it’s weak. You can check forecasts, but they’re not always accurate. The aurora can be faint—not those vibrant green curtains from professional photos. Sometimes it looks like a pale, barely visible glow. Tourists see it and think “that’s not the Northern Lights” because their expectations were set by heavily edited Instagram photos.
Many people book expensive Northern Lights tours. These help because the guides know where to go for the clearest skies, and they track the forecast constantly. But even the best tour can’t make the lights appear. Most reputable companies offer a second tour free if you don’t see anything, but check this policy before booking.
Your best bet is staying in Iceland for at least a week. This gives you multiple nights to try. Don’t plan your entire trip around the lights. Enjoy everything else Iceland offers. If you see them, amazing. If not, you still had an incredible trip. Adjust your expectations now, and you won’t be disappointed later.
7. Underestimating Distances and Travel Times
Iceland looks small on a map. It’s really not. And the roads are slower than you think.
Tourists constantly plan itineraries that are physically impossible. They want to drive from Reykjavik to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, spend a few hours there, then drive to Akureyri in the north, all in one day. That’s roughly 10-12 hours of driving minimum, not counting stops. By the time you factor in photo stops, bathroom breaks, and meals, you’re looking at 14+ hours. You’ll be exhausted, stressed, and you’ll barely enjoy anything.
The Ring Road is about 1,300 kilometers (roughly 800 miles). But you can’t just divide that by your average highway speed. Speed limits are lower (90 km/h max on paved roads, often 50-80 km/h). Roads are curvy. You’ll get stuck behind slow vehicles. In winter, you’re driving even slower because of the conditions. One-lane bridges pop up constantly. You stop, yield, wait for the other car to cross, then you go. Each one adds a minute or two. Over dozens of bridges, that’s real time.
Give yourself way more time than GPS suggests. If Google Maps says three hours, plan for four or five. Build in buffer time for unexpected stops—a waterfall you didn’t know about, a herd of sheep blocking the road (yes, this happens constantly), or just needing to stretch your legs.
Many tourists try to “do” Iceland in three or four days. You can’t. Not properly. You’ll spend all your time driving and none of it actually experiencing anything. A week minimum gives you a realistic shot at seeing the highlights without feeling like you’re in a car commercial. Two weeks is even better.
8. Swimming in Non-Designated Hot Springs
Iceland has hundreds of natural hot springs. Some are developed into pools with facilities. Others are just hot water bubbling out of the ground in the middle of nowhere. Sounds romantic, right? Jump into a secret hot spring where no tourists go. Except that many of these are dangerous.
Temperature regulation is the first problem. Developed hot springs control the temperature by mixing cold water in. Natural springs don’t have this. The water can be scalding hot—like, burn-your-skin-off hot. Some spots in the same pool are 100°F while others are 160°F. You won’t know until you’re already in the water.
Bacteria and amoebas thrive in some hot springs. Warm, stagnant water is a perfect breeding ground for nasty organisms. You can get serious infections. Locals know which springs are safe and which ones to avoid. Tourists don’t have this knowledge. That beautiful blue pool in the highlands might look pristine, but be full of harmful bacteria.
Accessibility is another issue. Some hot springs require hiking through rough terrain. If you get injured or stuck, you’re far from help. Cell service is spotty outside towns. That Instagram-worthy soak could turn into a rescue situation fast.
Stick to the famous spots: Blue Lagoon, Mývatn Nature Baths, Secret Lagoon, or any of the many developed community pools. Every town in Iceland has a local pool with hot tubs. They’re clean, safe, temperature-controlled, and cheap (usually $8-10 for entry). You get the hot spring experience without the risk.
Yes, these places have more tourists. Your photos won’t be as “unique.” But you won’t risk scalding, infection, or getting lost trying to find that one unmarked pool someone mentioned on Reddit.
9. Forgetting to Book Accommodation in Advance
“We’ll just figure it out as we go.” Bad plan. Really bad plan, especially in summer.
Iceland has limited accommodation. The entire country has a population of about 380,000 people. Tourism numbers hit over 2 million per year. That’s a massive imbalance, and the infrastructure hasn’t caught up. Small towns along the Ring Road have maybe two or three guesthouses. That’s it.
During peak season (June through August), places book up months in advance. I’m talking April bookings for July stays. Show up without a reservation, and you might not find anything within an hour’s drive. Or you’ll find one room left at triple the normal price because they know you’re desperate.
Akureyri, Vik, and Höfn get especially tight. These are key overnight stops on the Ring Road. Everyone needs to sleep there. If you’re flexible with your itinerary, you can sometimes find last-minute cancellations. But counting on this is risky. You’ll waste time calling around instead of enjoying your trip.
Winter has more availability, but popular spots near Northern Lights viewing areas still fill up. Plus, bad weather can close roads unexpectedly. If you can’t reach your planned accommodation and have to stay somewhere else, you want options. Having nothing booked means scrambling in a foreign language while stressed about where you’ll sleep.
Book your accommodations when you book your flights. If your plans might change, choose places with flexible cancellation policies. Yes, these sometimes cost a bit more. But the peace of mind is worth it. You’ll know exactly where you’re sleeping each night. You can plan your daily drives better. You won’t panic when you’re tired and just want a bed.
10. Relying Solely on Card Payments
Iceland is one of the most cashless countries on Earth. You can pay by card almost everywhere. Almost. But “almost” is the problem.
Most places take cards, even tiny gas stations in the middle of nowhere. But some small guesthouses, family-run restaurants, or roadside stands are cash-only. You’ll find these gems in rural areas where the owner is an older Icelander who never bothered setting up card payment systems.
Public restrooms sometimes require coins. This seems minor until you really need a bathroom and there’s a coin slot on the door. Most attendants will let you in if you explain you have no coins, but it’s awkward and unnecessary.
Your card needs to have a PIN for Iceland. Chip-and-sign cards don’t always work at automated gas pumps or parking meters. You need chip-and-PIN. Gas stations in remote areas don’t have attendants. They’re 24/7 automated pumps. No PIN, no gas. That’s a problem when you’re low on fuel and the next station is 60 miles away.
Withdraw a small amount of Icelandic króna when you arrive. Maybe 10,000 ISK ($70-80). This covers emergencies. Keep it in your wallet. You probably won’t need it, but when you do need it, you’ll be grateful you have it.
Notify your bank before you travel. Card companies sometimes flag Iceland transactions as fraud because they’re so far from your usual spending pattern. Your card gets frozen. Now you’re dealing with international customer service while standing in a gas station parking lot with no fuel. Just send your bank a quick message: “I’ll be in Iceland from [dates], expect charges.”
Wrapping Up
Iceland gives you experiences you can’t get anywhere else. The country is absolutely worth visiting.
But going in unprepared turns those incredible experiences into stressful ones. The mistakes I’ve covered here are totally avoidable. Research before you go. Respect the power of nature. Budget realistically. Stay safe on the roads. Simple stuff that makes a huge difference.
Your Iceland trip can be either the adventure of a lifetime or a cautionary tale you tell at dinner parties. The choice is mostly in your preparation. Make smart decisions, and you’ll come home with memories that last forever.
